(CNN) — Actor Paul Walker, best known for his role in a series of films about fast cars, has died in a violent, single-vehicle crash. Speed was a factor in the accident, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.

According to his representative, the star was not behind the wheel when the Porsche hit something and exploded in flames. The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, just north of Los Angeles.

Walker wasn’t just a car enthusiastic on the silver screen. Off-screen, the actor competed in the Redline Time Attack Racing Series. Walker had been filming the latest installment of “The Fast and the Furious” at the time of his death.